Aiming for an end beyond

Does God Really Choose Our Leaders?

There’s a lot of hand wringing as the election approaches. We, as Christians, need to make sure we go into this with the right frame of mind.

As you look through history, it’s sometimes difficult to believe that God has chosen certain individuals to be leaders of countries. As you read through the Old Testament book of Daniel, we see King Nebuchadnezzar in all his power, and the corruption that accompanied that power. We have the benefit of seeing behind the scenes, as God uses his reign to fulfill scripture. We don’t always get this perspective, though, as we see other leaders such as Hitler, Pol Pot, and others commit horrendous crimes against humanity.

Why would God allow these men to lead and destroy as they did? As we look at this, we must first keep in mind that this is not paradise. This is Satan’s turf. And while ultimately God is in control, Satan is able to do what he wants. In some situations, these men were allowed to rule in order to punish those who allowed them to come into power. God gives us a free will to make choices, and sometimes the choices we make are bad. We are responsible for the consequences of these decisions. While we mostly consider these on a personal scale, they can also occur on a national, or even a world-wide level.

God also uses these men to fulfill prophecies. Just as we saw in Daniel, and Nehemiah, God used these rulers to complete the prophecies made years earlier. God never lies and His promises never fail.

As we choose our leaders in this election, will God’s selection be made? Of course. And while we may not agree with the person selected, we must never forget that we are just sojourners in this world. We will have to obey our leaders, as God has told us to do, but within the guidelines He has given us. We can look at Daniel as an example of this. There was more than one occasion in which Daniel was commanded to do something that went against what God told him to do. He faced the consequences of this, and in these situations, God saved him. His obedience to God served as a lesson to the leader. If we disobey our leaders, will God save us as He did Daniel? Maybe, but then again, maybe not. We may have to pay the price for our obedience to God. However, this is temporary. Our ultimate goal is Heaven, and eternal life with God, our Father. As He told Joshua as he was entering the Promise Land, we are to be strong and courageous as we face this new unknown. But never forget that God is in control!